My Genealogy Hound

MATTHEW WALLACE is an agriculturist of Ripley town where he has lived for thirty-two years. He was born in County Down, Ireland, in June 1838, and he is a son of Samuel and Nancy McKee (McMeekan) Wallace. His grandfather, John Wallace, was a native of Ireland, followed farming and died a member of the Episcopal church. He married Nancy Melvin and had seven children. The maternal grandfather, Benjamin McMeekan, too, resided in Ireland. His wife was Nancy Blair and they had a family of eight children. Samuel Wallace was born in County Down, was a farmer and was twice married. First to Nancy McMeekan, who bore him nine children, three of whom, Matthew and two sisters, came to America. After his first wife died he united in marriage with Margaret Sigh, who bore him four children, three of whom crossed the great water, and one, David, is yet living at Sewickley, Allegheny county, Pa. The two sisters mentioned above who came to America are married.

Matthew Wallace spent his youth in his native land and came here when twenty-one years of age. Locating in Westfield he worked as an ordinary farm laborer for seventeen years and then bought the farm of one hundred and twenty-seven and one-half acres, where he now lives. On it are nine acres of grape vines. He was drafted to serve in the Union army but bought a substitute.

Matthew Wallace married Sarah Strain, a daughter of James Strain. They have one child: James S., who married Emily J. Cochrane, a daughter of Alexander Cochrane and they have three children: Matthew, Alexander and Hurlburt.

Politically he is a republican, a member of the Presbyterian church and belongs to the Knights of Honor.